Longest to leave dog home alone...

kds10
kds10 Posts: 452 Member
in Chit-Chat
We have a wedding to go to this month and we will be away from the house for about 12 hours, from lunch time to probably about midnight after reception...I could ask a friend to stop in about half way thru the day to let dog out but am wondering if this is necessary...he is middle aged smaller dog and the longest I have ever left him the odd time was for 9 hours and he was fine. He is not in the crate and has run of the house essentially.

A girl I know who works 12 hour shifts told me that she leaves her dog while she is at work for 12 to 13 hours.

The only drawback with her coming over is he would probably bark at her as he is not as familiar with her and not sure he would even go outside if he was all in a tizzy about someone unfamiliar to him in the house.

Replies

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    i absolutely woudl have someone stop in but would have them meet beforehand.
  • nuzziek
    nuzziek Posts: 69 Member
    12 hours is too long. I wouldn't leave a (full grown) dog alone for more than 9 hours. Would you want to hold your pee for 12 hours? :) I agree with Panini that you should have the dog meet your friend first. Have fun at the wedding!!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    Panini911 wrote: »
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    Having a pet should not dictate how you live your life.

    nor is anyone suggesting that. But they are living breathing creates with needs and didn't ASK to be taking into our care. We are responsible for their mental and physical well-being when WE make the choice to bring them into our home.

    +1, well said

  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    edited May 2019
    Panini911 wrote: »
    TheRoadDog wrote: »
    Having a pet should not dictate how you live your life.

    nor is anyone suggesting that. But they are living breathing creates with needs and didn't ASK to be taking into our care. We are responsible for their mental and physical well-being when WE make the choice to bring them into our home.

    I am retiring in 2 months and will be getting a dog at that time. My schedule has always been too hectic to give a dog the attention it should have. I think it's a shame when a person doesn't have the time or space to take care of their pet. If you have a dog, you need to be there or, in the case of some event coming up, pay for care or leave with a family member.

    If you have a cat, feel free to be gone as long as you want, as long as you leave enough food and water. A cat gould give a shlt.
  • anl90
    anl90 Posts: 928 Member
    Honestly? We have left our doggo alone for that long, and he was perfectly fine. We lucked out, in that he barely wants/needs to go out. Once in the morning, once at night. It truly depends on the dog, though. Some can handle waiting that long. Others, not so much. Just go by what your pupper normally does.
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    cats do give a *kitten*. I have 2, one honestly probably does not care when I am gone but the other is very visibly emotionally affected.

    As far as the question, dogs CAN go that long, but if you have the option of having someone stop over half way through the day or at your dog's normal dinner time I think that would absolutely be the best option to choose. If you do end up leaving your dog that long, please make sure you do not get angry with it if it goes potty in the house or chews something up while you're gone.
  • 550ix
    550ix Posts: 1 Member
    Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    sammidelvecchio wrote: »
    cats do give a *kitten*. I have 2, one honestly probably does not care when I am gone but the other is very visibly emotionally affected.

    As far as the question, dogs CAN go that long, but if you have the option of having someone stop over half way through the day or at your dog's normal dinner time I think that would absolutely be the best option to choose. If you do end up leaving your dog that long, please make sure you do not get angry with it if it goes potty in the house or chews something up while you're gone.

    I would never get angry with him for sure...he has a couple of times gone upstairs to the bathroom where I had a towel laying on the floor by the bathtub and pooped he did this and we were only gone for a few hours so if he did that again I would not care and would leave a towel dileberately on the floor just in case. I also plan on taking him for a one hour walk in the morning on that day anyway.
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    anl90 wrote: »
    Honestly? We have left our doggo alone for that long, and he was perfectly fine. We lucked out, in that he barely wants/needs to go out. Once in the morning, once at night. It truly depends on the dog, though. Some can handle waiting that long. Others, not so much. Just go by what your pupper normally does.

    Yeah a few years back I was working further away and he would be left from 6:30 a.m. until 4:30 ish...so 9 hours and he was fine....so for this function it would be longer..probably 12 hours max...so I think he would be fine, if he pees or poops in the house I am okay with that but chances are this friend can make it to let him out and she said she can take him with her dogs to the dog park as well.
  • bobshuckleberry
    bobshuckleberry Posts: 281 Member
    I believe the gentleman was just stating that as far as care for a cat they do not need a sitter to survive and or relieve themselves. As long as their is food, water and a box they will be okay. They may not be thrilled, but they will physically be okay.
    I have two cats and a dog. My dog due to circumstance has been left 12 hours. Usually he is fine, he has had an accident or two. I think it is long for everyday though.
    My cats I have left for a week, however a sitter came by once in a while to check food water and litter. They hid from the help :)
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    I disagree that you can "be gone as long you want" and a cat will be fine, physically or otherwise. Also, if you have a pet, you should be concerned for their wellness beyond physical.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I had a small, mature dog who would be left alone at home for 12+ hours, sometimes even overnight, but she went on puppy pads in the laundry room. If she was the type of dog to seriously hold it for 12+ hours I would have had someone come in midday. She was also very odd and had 2 bowls of food and would always eat Bowl 1 on Monday and Bowl 2 on Tuesday. So I felt fine leaving her for up to 2 days. Not normal for a dog, I realize, and I didn't do it often since I know she would be lonely and miss me.
  • lovelylosses
    lovelylosses Posts: 27 Member
    edited May 2019
    I don't think this is a great idea. Even if your dog is able to go to the bathroom in the house, should they have to? Most dogs feel distressed by it (exhibiting what we take as guilt) and it's not a nice environment for them. You should have someone come in and look after your pup - get them outside, freshen up their water, check their food etc - better for them mentally as well as physically.

    "A girl I know who works 12 hour shifts told me that she leaves her dog while she is at work for 12 to 13 hours."

    I don't get this. Why have a dog? Just because she does this and her dog "survives", doesn't mean her dog is happy or feels secure day-in and day-out. Dogs are pack animals at heart.
  • newmeadow
    newmeadow Posts: 1,295 Member
    Poor dogs 😔
  • shaykinhand
    shaykinhand Posts: 80 Member
    I have a 4lb yorkie and she uses a pee-pad in the basement. I have left her at home over 12 hours before alone but she has run of the house, I leave the tv on, she can see out the sunroom windows to watch the horses, and I talk to her on our cameras sometimes :smiley::lol:

    I think if they're not used to being crated that long without being able to potty, I may would have someone come by and maybe just take them out. Or maybe have someone watch him at their house for the time you're gone?
  • JenSD6
    JenSD6 Posts: 454 Member
    We're usually the first people to leave the party so we can get home for the dogs.

    If your dog is used to a full day alone, he will probably be okay with a few more hours. It's not the best, just make sure he gets extra love when you get home. Can you leave your dog at someone else's house for the night? Could your friend come over to meet him before the day if she's going to stop by to check on him?
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    Thanks all for your input. Honestly I am not too worried about it, as long as we are home within 12 hours. If he was a puppy it would be different plus like I said it is not like he is in a crate during that time, he has the run of the house. It is just a one day thing, not a regular occurrence for sure.
  • Legs_McGee23
    Legs_McGee23 Posts: 116 Member
    I have an older dog - very well trained. I used to routinely leave her home for 10 hours and she was fine. And once or twice when I was accidentally gone longer than intended, she was good for 12 hours. But then she got a horrible urinary tract infection and someone asked me if she drank enough water. I hadn't ever thought about it before, but I now think she was drinking less water to avoid the need of going to the bathroom on those long days and that may have lead to the UTI. I don't leave her home alone that long anymore. I doubt one day will matter, but if you have the option of having someone stop by I think you should.
  • floofyschmoofer
    floofyschmoofer Posts: 209 Member
    I used to work home health, 12 hour shifts. Most of the time, I was lucky enough to be able to bring my pupper with me but she did stay home by herself from 8p-8a a lot over the 8 years I worked there. Granted, she probably slept for most of the time I was gone since it was overnight.

    The pup will be more than ok, though I wouldn't make a habit out of it -- do as I say, not as I do kinda thing. Maybe have a neighbor or friend pop in to fill a water/food bowl and let him out for walkies if needed, if you're concerned. But a lot of working folk do it all the time and so long as you aren't neglecting the animal, it's fine. Everyone always has emotional opinions about stuff like this but the fact that you're even asking shows you're a responsible enough pet parent to want to take the pet's comfort into consideration. <3
  • floofyschmoofer
    floofyschmoofer Posts: 209 Member
    Oh, and let me tell you-- a pet cam is a worthy investment! I don't work those long hours anymore but I love mine.
  • kds10
    kds10 Posts: 452 Member
    JenSD6 wrote: »
    We're usually the first people to leave the party so we can get home for the dogs.

    If your dog is used to a full day alone, he will probably be okay with a few more hours. It's not the best, just make sure he gets extra love when you get home. Can you leave your dog at someone else's house for the night? Could your friend come over to meet him before the day if she's going to stop by to check on him?
    That is the nature of having dog(s)....everybody else is staying overnight at a hotel but if we did that he would have to be kennelled and he has never been and being older I think that would stress him out way more than him being in his own home for 12 hours...and stress me out too:)
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    I once left my dog alone in the house for about 17 hours. I didn't intend to, but I got caught in Snowpocalypse a few years ago and it took me 14 hours to get home since I waited just a bit too long to leave work. She was super excited to finally be let out when I got home, but she had managed to hold it the entire time (I wouldn't have blamed her in the slightest if she hadn't). It's probably fine (you know your dog best); I would just make sure you let him out right before you leave to make things as comfortable as possible.

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